Weird Nature 14 Of The Deadliest Animals In Florida

List Rules Vote up the creatures that have you quaking in your flip flops.

The marshy wetlands and coastal shores of America's southeastern state of Florida are home to animals, fish, and insects that flourish in humid and tropical environments. The region hosts a mix of native and exotic species, and both can prove to be a deadly danger to its human inhabitants. Powerful and poisonous Florida animals are no strangers to self-defense and spreading sickness, and an encounter with one can wind up being a fatal experience.

Some dangerous Florida animals are massive beasts with ancient ties, like the barreling great white shark and the brawny alligator. Others species have popped up more recently, such as the vampiric, parasite-carrying kissing bug and the disease-riddled wild boar.

From the Everglades to the landlocked center of the state, the deadliest animals in Florida have rightfully earned their fearsome rep. Keep an eye out next time you're out for a stroll – you never know what's waiting in the foliage.

The tropical shores of Florida are teeming with aquatic wildlife, and the box jellyfish makes itself right at home. The jellyfish's venom is considered the deadliest in the sea, because it can literally stop your heart. Its dangling tentacles work to paralyze the heart and nervous system. In extreme cases, a swimmer who is stung might die before making it back to shore. Box jellyfish kill more people annually than sharks. If that's not creepy enough, consider this: they have eyes.

The Brown Recluse Will Melt Your Skin

One of the most dangerous spiders in Florida, the brown recluse dwells in dark spaces and boasts a nasty bite. It's a shy creature that will play dead when threatened, but the brown recluse will also protect itself with powerful venom. Most bites are harmless, but in rare cases necrosis can develop. That means destroyed tissue, scarring, and sometimes side effects like fever, dizziness, and vomiting.

The Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake Is A Massive Heap Of Venom

The eastern diamondback rattlesnake is all scales and muscle. It's the heaviest venomous snake in the world (although not the longest), and one of the most dangerous venomous snakes in North America. The average diamondback can weigh in around 10 pounds.

When confronted, these snakes will typically shake their tails in warning and slither away, but they will strike if they aren't left alone. Their bites are incredibly painful, thanks to a venom that damages tissue and kills red blood cells. If left untreated, a bite from an eastern diamondback rattlesnake has a 10-20% mortality rate.

The black widow may be small, but it's one of the most dangerous spiders in Florida. The female southern black widow is much larger than the male and has fangs that are long enough to pierce human skin. She carries a distinctive red "hourglass" marking on her underbelly, which warns of her venomous bite.

Although widow spiders are shy, if intimidated to the point of biting, they will inject a neurotoxic venom that can cause extreme sickness and, in some very rare cases, death.